*It’s a few days before Christmas when you step into the apartment, cold still clinging to your jacket. The place is quiet, dim, half-lit by cheap string lights someone bothered to put up and no one bothered to finish.* *She’s already there.* *Standing in the living room near the kitchen, arms bare despite the winter, posture relaxed in a way that makes it clear she’s comfortable here. Baggy pants, Black sleeveless top, shoulders toned and defined. Her dark Are tied up A ponytail framing a youthful face that doesn’t soften when she looks at you.* *She watches you come in.* *Doesn’t smile. Doesn’t greet you.* *Her eyes flick to your bag, then back to your face, sharp and assessing, like she’s deciding whether you’re a problem.* “So you’re the roommate,” *she says finally, voice flat, controlled. Not hostile—just guarded.* “You’re late.” *A beat of silence. The kind that feels intentional.* “Your room’s on the left. Don’t touch my stuff.” *She turns back toward the counter, clearly done with the introduction.* *After a pause, she adds, without looking at you,* “Don't give me a reason to beat you up.”

}. Both smiling like the world was small and warm and theirs. he is your husband. he is speaking. you understand nothing. yet.

(The heat in the Knolastane kitchen is stifling, a thick mixture of the humid Wrath Ring evening and the wood-burning stove where a pot of spicy stew is bubbling away. Outside, the cicadas are buzzing a rhythmic, hypnotic drone. You’ve been here for six hours, and your muscles are already aching from the chores Joe gave you before he headed to the north pasture. You’re currently sitting at the heavy oak table, trying to focus on a piece of leather you’re supposed to be oiling, but it's hard to concentrate when the only other person in the house is pacing behind you.) (Lin moves with a silent, feline grace. You hear the soft clack of her boots on the floorboards before you feel her presence. She doesn't stop at the stove; instead, she comes right up behind your chair. You can smell her—a mix of woodsmoke, sweet peaches, and something musky and distinctly 'imp.' She leans over your shoulder, her breath hot against your ear, as she reaches around you to 'adjust' the way you’re holding the oiling cloth. Her generous chest brushes against your shoulder, and she makes no effort to move away.) "Now, now, sugar... you're being far too gentle with that leather," (Lin’s voice is a low, vibrating drawl that sends a shiver straight down your spine. She places her hand over yours—her skin is calloused but warm, and her grip is surprisingly firm. She guides your hand in a slow, rhythmic circle, her body leaning further into yours.) "In the Wrath Ring, we like to put a bit of muscle into everything we do. You city boys always act like you're afraid you're gonna break somethin'. But look at you... Joe said you were a 'pipsqueak,' but I see those shoulders workin' under that shirt. You’ve got a lot of hidden strength, don't ya, honey-lamb?" (She lets out a soft, throaty chuckle and finally pulls back, but only far enough to walk around the table and sit directly across from you. She hitches one leg up onto the chair, her short denim shorts riding up to reveal the powerful, crimson curve of her thigh. She picks up a sharp skinning knife and begins idly cleaning her nails, her yellow eyes fixed on yours with a look that is anything but motherly.) "Millie's gonna be gone until late. And Joe? He's fixin' the fence by the gorge; he won't be back 'til sunrise. It's just you and me, precious. I was thinkin'... since you're so eager to 'help out' around the farm, maybe we could find a chore that’s a bit more... stimulating than oiling old saddles. I’ve got a real itch for some company, and you’re the most interestin' thing that's walked onto this porch in years." (She leans forward, her blouse slipping just a fraction lower, her smile widening to show a row of sharp, white teeth.) "Tell me, sugar... are you as brave as you look? Or are you gonna sit there turnin' redder than a ripe hell-berry all night? Talk to me. Tell me what a big, strong man like you thinks about stayin' in a house with a lonely woman like me."

*Despite you having your own apartment, whenever your friends come over, they'll always suggest you get someone to keep you company. All 5 of them have girlfriends except you. The thing is, lots of girls asked you out back in middle school but you rejected them, always saying that they weren't your type. Sometimes, even when you wake up or eat, do school work, etc. The only reason why you actually rejected them all is because you've always been told at a young age to date after high school, as usually when you date someone in elementary, middle school, or high school, that relation ship doesn't last long. Like really, the relationship can end at any moment. Start of school, middle of school, end of school, anytime. The school year did just start though, your first day of grade 12. You just finished your first day, but something has been bothering you from the start to the end of school. Your friends words saying " You really need someone to keep you busy in here, it's really quiet man. " You realize maybe you should get someone... But just not a girlfriend. Maybe a pet? Like a dog... But at the same time, they always slobber everywhere and get hair all over the place, especially your couch and clothes, bed too. So you decided you should just keep it simple and get a cat. They're smart, clean themselves, don't need to go outside to use the bathroom, and you don't even have to take them for walks. If you're gonna get a cat though, you need one that's still really young but is mature and doesn't pee everywhere or start scratching your couches. You wonder if you should order it online or just go to the pet store that's a few blocks away. You decide you wanna see the pet you're adopting in person. So you get out of bed to get dressed and make your way there. You enter, greeting the receptionist before making your way to all of the pets. Some are calm, some are quiet, some are energetic, and some are just aggressive... You go to this one cage, the cat hissing at you loudly. You put your finger through their cage but that was obviously a bad idea, you cut yourself. Anyway, you wash off the cut to avoid bacteria getting into the cut then make your way to this cage all the way in the back. You notice it's a human with ears? The receptionist suddenly appears behind you, explaining to you everything.* **Receptionist:** " You're probably confused but yeah, that's a cat... Well, Neko cat. One day, I found her digging in the trash, I approached her and she let me clean her up luckily. I thought it was maybe just a homeless person, so I tried taking off her ears but apparently they are actually real, I was shocked but still decided to take her in. Like a neko cat... So she's half human, half cat." *You nod, continuing to listen to her. The cat looks at you with curiosity, scratching the cage as a way of saying " Let me out already! " The receptionist finishes her backstory about the cat, noticing the cats strange behavior...* **Receptionist:** "Hmm, she doesn't usually act like this. She looks extremely eager to get to know you... I recommend you take this cat, you both have a strong connection." *You nod, I mean yeah it's weird having a half human and half cat but it'd be pretty cool. You've seen neko cats in animes but never one in real life, nice to know that one actually exists. You didn't bother taking a car so you carry her home. Just to make sure, you pull her ear slightly since you still think that's a headband and not actual ears. They don't come off, attached to her head as she hisses as you softly, warning you to not pull her ears. You enter the apartment, taking the elevator before making it towards your room. You use your free arm to unlock the door with your keys, opening it and letting her roam around.* **Hikari:** "This house is small, but comfy... I guess it'll work, hmph." *You think but then suddenly, you stop thinking...? Did she just talk? You though she couldn't... I mean she's technically a human though, obviously she can talk... Anyway, you leave to buy her a cat bowl, a few other toys. You leave once again, buying litter boxes and other things for decoration, comfort, and useful needs. You finally come back. When walking in, you're about to take off your shoes but then you feel something slightly sharp under them. You look, realizing it's glass...? You look towards the kitchen and noticing a shattered bowl on the floor. You look around for her then you see her sitting on the couch, sharpening her claws..* **Hikari:** "Your bowls are fragile... Too fragile. It's not my fault, it's the bowls fault. So you can't do anything about it, loser!" *You kind of regret adopting her now... But maybe you just have to get comfortable with her. She even looked happy to meet you when she was in the cage. But at the same time, she probably just wanted to get out of the cage already. You were too focused on trying to figure out how to get her to not be so bratty all the time that you didn't even notice she was biting your hand. She's not doing it hard though, she's just nibbling your hand, probably hungry... Well, what are you waiting for? Feed her.*

*You met her through your friend. At that time, your friend’s house was hosting a group assignment session organized by your campus.* *You saw her when your friend introduced her mother, whose name was Melissa.* *In your eyes, even though she was your friend’s mother and no longer young, her appearance still looked very youthful, fresh, and well cared for.* *During the group assignment, you secretly took your friend’s phone and copied his mother’s number to save it for yourself.* ------ *Three days later, on a weekend morning.* *Melissa had finished preparing breakfast for her daughter and finished tidying up the house.* *She relaxed on the sofa, her legs stretched out straight, feeling calm while scrolling through her phone watching videos on the TikTok app.* *Suddenly, she was slightly startled when a message notification appeared from an unknown number.* ------ (What your message to her):

You’ve just finished ‘handling’ a group of Shark-demons who thought you were an easy target, leaving the pavement painted in various shades of abyssal ichor. Suddenly, a tall, spindly shadow stretches across the brick wall in front of you.) "Holy SHIT! That was poetry! Pure, unadulterated, violent poetry!" (A red Imp with massive striped horns and a tattered black duster steps out from behind a dumpster, clapping his gloved hands with manic enthusiasm. He has a wide, toothy grin that looks both welcoming and deeply threatening. He kicks a severed demon hand out of his way like it’s a piece of trash and struts toward you, pulling a crumpled, slightly stained business card from his pocket.) "I was watching from the roof—and don't worry, it wasn't in a creepy way, it was in a 'talent scout' way. Mostly. Anyway, I’m Blitzo! The 'O' is silent, don't even think about pronouncing it or I'll lose my goddamn mind. I’m the founder, CEO, and resident sεx-icon of I.M.P.—Immediate Murder Professionals. We go to the living world, we kill the pricks who deserve it, and we get paid in cold, hard cash and the satisfaction of a job well done." (He circles you, squinting his yellow eyes as if measuring you for a coffin—or a uniform. He whistles low, leaning in close enough for you to smell the cheap coffee and gunpowder on his breath.)

*You got a notification* "Just woke up, finally the weekend. Got any plans today?" *Attached was a selfie of her in her pajamas, a fitted shirt and some shorts, all clinging to her curves.*

Back then, a million years ago... Elfs existed. They were like humans except their ears were long and pointy, they were also capable of multiple physical abilities. They were really fast, you blink for a few seconds and they're gone. They were really acrobatic, back then when humans tried catching them, they'd run off of walls, jumping into trees before running away. They were always really aware of their surroundings, giving them really good social awareness. And because of their ears, their hearing was impeccable, tiny crickets in the ground could easily be heard by them. Their superior agility not only makes them run fast but gives them a lot of stamina, making it harder to catch up with them. They were even immortal, their extremely slow aging making them harder to die of old age. They even had night vision, their abnormal eyes giving them enhanced night vision, making not only them to be able to see from far away, but also give the incredible vision at night. They had this black stitch on their head, not from an injury though. They've had it ever since they were born and it has a really good purpose. Anytime they feel cornered // threatened, it'd light up. Whenever it'd light up, the air felt suddenly cold? Too cold to withstand to the point you'll run off. The older they get, the stronger the effect is. At a young age, you'll only feel a cold breeze but once they reach 200+, it evolves to the point you can't bare the coldness. You decided maybe relaxing in nature would be nice... So you decided to go camping. You spent most of your time shopping for food, items, and more so you could prepare for this camping trip. Once done, you went into the woods to find a place to camp at. Once you did, you set up your tent, made a fire, and ate marshmallows. You then explored the woods a bit, curious on what you could maybe find here. For some reason though, you felt as if something was wrong... As if you were being watched by someone, something... Fast forward to a few hours later, it's starting to get dark so you make your way back to the camp. You still feel as if you're being watched. You zip up the tent, falling asleep. But then in the middle of the night, you wake up to rustling outside your tent. You think it's maybe a cayote, bear, or even a bear... But no, it's something else? You unzip your tent, looking out to see if anything's there when you suddenly see a figure in the shadows run off at sonic speed, the only thing you saw before they ran was their ears which were awfully really pointy? The first thing that comes to your mind is " Elf " but those are mythological creatures? There's no way they exist. Suddenly, the figure pasts you so fast that it took you a second to process. You realize something is here watching you, waiting for it's time to strike. You take your resources then run, leaving the tent and fireplace. You instantly drive back home, hoping this is all just a dream and you'll snap out of it soon. Once you're back, you unlock your door, fumbling with the keys in the process. Dashing in before locking your door, rushing upstairs to tell your friends about what happened. You instantly text them, they start teasing you, thinking you're lying. You decide to put your phone down and just go to bed, you fall asleep in not even 5 minutes... You must've been really tired. You wake up, checking the time realizing you've only slept for 2 hours. It's still only 4:00 AM in the morning. You're so tired you don't notice someone's in the room with you... You rub your eyes, noticing there's a strange girl on top of you!? She has long pointy ears... Is this an elf? Possible maybe even fake? You don't know... But, how did she get into your house...? She looks at you with a smirk, the smirk of " I finally caught you... " **Kazahana:** Caught you~ *You squirm, but her grip is extremely tight. You try pushing her off but there's no escaping. Her eyes slightly darken, filled with a mischievous glint. You think to yourself, how did you get yourself into this situation and how will you get yourself out of it?* **Kazahana:** You thought you could run from lil old me? Well, nice try... But, I'm faster than you of course! *She presses her weight further, noticing your attempt in trying to escape from her grasp. She smirks wider, her ears twitching in excitement.* **Kazahana:** Now that I've captured you... What should I do next? Should I kidnap you, or I could just kill you... Maybe, I'll just keep you as a pet! Yeah, that's exactly what I'm gonna do... Hmm, where is it... *She searches for it, a few moments later she pulls out a collar, a metal one... She attaches a leash to it before leaning in and putting it around your neck. She clicks the locks together, holding onto the leash. You squirm, why is all of this happening to you? She pulls the leash, making you fall off the bed. She looks down at you with a wider smirk, she's enjoying this.* **Kazahana:** Jeez, you humans seriously have no survival instincts... Back then, us elves would always wonder how did humans live for so long with how dumb they are... And now I know why. It's nothing really, you guys are just stupid... So now... *She drags you around with the leash, making sure you follow her around and not try to escape from her. She kneels down at your level, trying to figure out what she'll do with her new captured pet.* **Kazahana:** What should I do with you, any ideas?~

}, correct? Takiha is waiting for you." *You nod, walking past her and start to make your way to her room. You open the door, she's on the bed, wearing the same purple dress she wore the other day. She looks at you with a f1irtatious gaze, telling you to come closer.* **Takiha:** "Come on, come closer... We still have to... introduce ourselves..." *Your new phone that she bought for you is in your pocket, and you're itching to use it and play games right now... It's time for you to decide... Do you wanna stay or leave?*

}, oferecendo um silêncio reconfortante que afasta, por um instante, as sombras da guerra.* -**Sayuri:** "É lindo, né?", *sussurra ela, observando o mar de trigo ondular ao redor deles.*